Strange thumping / banging coming from left side of Elite+

[Demus]

Hi,

So I've owned an Elite+ for a little while now, and ever since I've had it, I had this issue. It's hard to say if it's getting worse, as I use the Elite+ relatively infrequently, and it's more an irritant than anything else, as it doesn't seem to affect performance, but I also have my concerns it might lead to further damage of the Elite+ if left unremedied.

Hopefully I'll be able to upload a video of what it sounds like, as it is also audible, but it feels like a sort of banging / thumping coming from the base on the left hand side of the beast, near the wheel. It feels like something is banging up and down, slightly, like something is slightly loose. In fact at first  actually thought it was the base of the neck of the steering bar was slightly loose, and it was banging up and down slightly in the base, as that's what it pretty much feels and sounds like - until I realised it was only coming from the left hand side.

Anyway, I've checked the steering arm is secure, and I've also checked all the nuts are tight on the wheel, which they are, so the problem isn't with either of those. The tires are also inflated to a correct level.

One interesting quirk of the issue is that it's worse and noisier going down hill, seems less frequent on the flat, and doesn't seem hardly to do it at all, going up hill - or at least it's barely noticeable if it does. I'd say it's also more frequent on bumpier terrain - which is probably not a massive surprise.

Also, when I reverse, although I get some quite loud clicking noises coming from the Elite+ when doing so, they're far more frequent on the left hand side, also. About a ratio of 5 to 1, I'd say. So I feel there's also a connection, there.

As I say, though, the performance of the Elite+ strangely doesn't seem affected, to the best of my knowledge, it's fast and pretty stable - although I don't have another to compare it with, admittedly. In fact if the thumping occurred on both sides, I might have just put it down to just how the Elite+ worked.

My main concern though, is that it could I be slowly breaking something by using it while it's behaving like this.

Anyone have experience of this issue and know what it could be?

Thanks.

P.S. I can't upload a video directly, it seems, as it would have far better demonstrated the issue than my attempts at a description, but I'll try and upload to a video site and share that way.

[Demus]

Ok, I've successfully loaded a video of the problem to Vimeo, as below. This is what going down a slight slope is like. Each time you hear that clicking noise, it coincides with a thumping / banging sensation from the left hand side of the base.

 

 

[RockyTop]

I don't know much but I can get this post back on top 

down hill bad,    flat better.    up hill least noise.  

It does not seem to be the motor.  Too simple of a system. few moving parts. 

Watching the video,  It looks like the base of the steering is moving forward and back with the noise.  I think it would explain the up hill less noise. the steering is pushed forward keeping the noise down.  Down less one way force?

Good luck!

[Demus]

19 hours ago, RockyTop said:

I don't know much but I can get this post back on top 

down hill bad,    flat better.    up hill least noise.  

It does not seem to be the motor.  Too simple of a system. few moving parts. 

Watching the video,  It looks like the base of the steering is moving forward and back with the noise.  I think it would explain the up hill less noise. the steering is pushed forward keeping the noise down.  Down less one way force?

Good luck!

Hmm, maybe, I'm now watching my video a dozen times to see if I agree with you . It's the fact the banging always comes from one side that makes me think it can't be the steering bar though.

Thanks!

[FreeRide]

Spin the wheel, is it running true. Take the wheel off, and see if anything is amiss.  From the video it does look a bit like the platform or the control bar are hitting each other on one side. 

Looks like the wheel is true in the video, but hard to tell.

[jojo33]

Hello @Demus

it makes me think of the Mini, the noise came from the hubcap, because of a tire that deflated, the friction of the hubcap against the tire made a similar noise.
Second, we must see with the mudguard

sorry "The tires are also inflated to a correct level."

third is the tire valve, the cap is not screwed in fully

hubcap i think, remove it with 

under you will met screws, maybe one is broken

all this is only hypothesis

or it comes from the fixings inside the mudguard

The Mini are designed like the Elites, the Elites have served as models for MINI

cordialy

Edited November 29, 2019 by jojo33

[Demus]

Sorry for not getting back earlier. **** happens. Also managed to get the video back up, after Vimeo's slightly mad algorithms pulled it for the second time for abuse/copyright infringement and I had to complain to them for 2nd time.

Well, I think I've managed to check everything mentioned in your posts, and everything seemed tight and correct. The issue seems further in than I think I dare venture, so I'm still scratching my head as to what the cause is.

Thanks for your replies.

[mrelwood]

If the design is the same as on the MiniPro, I would check the four big bolts that fix the motor’s axle to the midframe. While all four bolts on each side must be of course firmly tightened, they also have to be level. If you tighten the rear bolts first, the axle does not get a secure fit.

Just to make sure it’s not about this, I’d loosen the bolts so that the motor can move, then tighten them in turns, just a little by little on each. Keep your eye on the plate under the bolts, it must be flat and not tilted at all to any direction.

[vdnepro]

Hi All!
I understand that my answer may no longer be relevant)) years later, but perhaps it will be useful for other Elite owners. I had the exact same problem on 2 of my 3 Elites. And I also couldn’t understand what was happening for more than a year. But it turned out to be very simple.

Three plastic decorative pads on the wheel disk have small irregularities around the perimeter and slightly rest against the wheel disk in their seats. These pads are screwed with a self-tapping screw from the inside to the wheel disk. And when the wheel rotates under load, the process of deformation (damping) of the rim of the plastic disc constantly occurs and, as a result, the attached pad makes a clicking sound in this place and you feel a knock with your foot. Just like plastic elements in a budget car, they haunt you with similar sounds. Since the disk rim is deformed when driving on different surfaces and under different loads, clicks do not always and not everywhere)))

If you unscrew and remove the wheel and unscrew these pads from the inside and remove all 3 pads, you will see fine dust from the plastic and abrasions in places where this pads rests against the wheel disc. I first drove a couple hundred miles without them and found that without pads the problem was solved. And then I returned the decorative pads to their places, having first carefully aligned their edges with a file and then ride again a 20-30 miles and removed the wheels a couple more times and completed those places where new abrasions still appeared. And the third time all the sounds stopped)) sometimes they come back again if it is very cold outside and the tire pressure is very low. Once you inflate them again to the correct pressure of 35-40 PSI you will no longer hear them.

Sorry for my bad English((